First Baptist Church in Portales is organizing a mission trip to Latvia in September. The group will leave on Sunday, September 10th and return on Wednesday, September 20th. Mike and Bev Howard are the mission trip leaders. The group will be serving with IMB missionary Audrey Whitfield, who is from New Mexico.
Right now, there are five individuals who have signed up to go on this trip. FBC is praying to be able to send a team of twelve people. Concerning this trip, the IMB says that it will involve doing literature distribution and evangelism in the city of Riga.
The Latvian culture is a northern Slavic culture. The Latvians are considered contemplative and quiet. Latvians take time to build relationships with newcomers, but once a relationship is established they are fast friends. The Russian speakers are a minority in Latvia making up about 40% of the total population. The Russian speakers are also from a Slavic background, also take time to build trust, and also tend to be more quiet and distanced from newcomers. Americans coming to serve amongst Slavic peoples should be mindful of these cultural tendencies.
People tend to dress more business casual. T-shirts and shorts are great for outdoor activities, but during meetings and other indoor activities dress is expected to be business casual. Personal hygiene is also important to Latvian culture.
Participants are encouraged to pack clothes that can be worn for warm outdoor activities and also for indoor and cooler evening activities. The wind in Riga can be quite strong as the city is situated near the Baltic Sea, so bring a windbreaker or raincoat to be prepared for unpredictable rainy weather and windy conditions.
This trip will involve extensive walking, so if you have a difficulty with a lot of walking or climbing stairs, this assignment is probably not for you. If you have dietary restrictions they will need to know in advance to be sure to accommodate you.
If you are interested in being part of the team for this mission trip, call Mike or Bev Howard at 575-562-9819 or email them at bjhowa71@gmail.com.
